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Chapter 372c
🕑 Added 2025-09-04 21:34:19 +0000 UTCChapter 372c
2-in-1-chapter
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Soon after, Leo reached out to Meredith again and purchased a Medusa.
The Medusa was an upgraded version of the Manticore, and was currently in service with Militech’s internal security forces—a heavily armored military-grade VTOL ( Vertical Take-Off and Landing).
By regulation, the Medusa was not to be sold on the private market like the Manticore.
At first, Meredith had no intention of selling it.
But Leo was willing to pay double.
And considering that he had just dropped several hundred million eddies, Meredith ultimately agreed—motivated by the money.
She quietly added one of Militech’s active-duty Medusas to the decommission list, scrubbed it of all military serial codes and identifiers, and handed it over to Leo off the books.
As it happened, Takemura knew how to pilot the Medusa, which saved Leo the trouble of hiring a flight crew through Meredith.
Though the aircraft was a product of Militech, its interface systems were largely standardized—similar to how all shooters used WASD for movement, R to reload, left click to fire, right click to aim.
A few days later, they returned to Bolivia.
The rest of the group, who had arrived earlier, had already established a forward camp outside the Bolivian capital of La Paz.
Saul had made initial contact with generals from the Bolivian Ministry of Defense and was actively involved in training government troops.
At the same time, he was organizing combat units to secure two gold mines and one copper mine that the Bolivian president had promised to Aurora PMC.
The next step would be to secure the transportation lines, ensuring reliable logistics and supply routes.
When Leo met with Saul, they proposed a new idea.
The two gold mines and the copper mine, if connected by perimeter control, formed a perfect triangle.
Saul and the others suggested that this triangular zone be fully claimed as territory under Aurora PMC.
Geographically, the area was located in eastern Bolivia, adjacent to the Brazilian border.
That meant that as long as they cleared out the surrounding anti-government militias, they wouldn’t need to worry about being attacked from behind.
And the landmass of this zone far surpassed that of Rocky Ridge—by a significant margin.
In fact, it was even larger than Night City itself.
If Aurora PMC could secure and hold this territory, they would become a nation within a nation.
Saul’s thinking was completely aligned with Leo’s.
In fact, going even further together in the future wasn’t off the table.
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Two weeks later, deep into the night.
A unit was moving through the dense greenery of the Bolivian rainforest.
At the head of the group were Leo and Mitch.
They had spent a full week traveling from the capital, La Paz, to reach this section of jungle in eastern Bolivia.
Their destination was one of the gold mines allocated to Leo by the President himself.
Leo pulled out a tablet and pointed to several locations on the screen.
“According to the map, the mine is about five hundred meters ahead. Everyone hold position here and rest. I’ll go take a look.”
Mitch immediately responded, “You going alone is too dangerous, boss. Let me come with you.”
“Alright, then we’ll go together.”
Leo instructed the others to remain where they were.
He and Mitch moved forward carefully.
Infiltrating through the rainforest was far more difficult than in other environments.
The forest floor was littered with dry twigs and fallen leaves—stepping on the wrong patch could produce a sharp crack, easily alerting enemies.
To avoid making noise, Leo and Mitch advanced slowly, with deliberate caution.
When they were around two hundred meters from the mine, Leo raised a hand to signal Mitch to halt.
He activated his tactical goggles and began scanning the area.
“Twenty-five armed anti-government militia. Additionally, about one hundred laborers.”
He shared the tactical data with the rest of the unit. “Everyone, move in.”
A few minutes later, the others regrouped with them.
“Positions are confirmed. Let’s begin.”
Everyone attached suppressors to their weapons.
Two snipers stayed behind in overwatch. The rest split into two teams—led by Leo and Mitch—and began advancing on the mine from two flanks.
Leo’s group moved up another hundred meters. Then Leo raised his right hand in a clenched fist, signaling his team to stop.
Roughly fifty meters ahead, two militia sentries stood guard.
Unlike the slackers Leo had encountered among other anti-government groups, these two were unexpectedly vigilant.
They weren’t slouching or distracted—instead, they kept their eyes fixed on the dense tree line in front of them, scanning attentively.
Unfortunately for them, the thick jungle provided ample cover. No matter how sharp their vision, they couldn’t see Leo’s team hidden beneath the foliage.
“You take the one on the left. I’ll handle the one on the right. Everyone else—hold position,” Leo whispered to an Aldecaldos fighter at his side.
The man stepped into line with Leo, raising his rifle—now equipped with a suppressor—and aimed at the left-side sentry.
“Get ready. On three. One, two…”
Pfft!
Pfft!
The Aldecaldos rifle fired with a soft hiss, and the left-side guard dropped instantly, shot clean through the heart without a sound.
The right-side sentry froze, startled—only to catch a single round to the skull from Leo’s rifle before he could react.
With the sentries down, Leo signaled the team to advance again.
They pushed forward another hundred meters until the outer perimeter of the gold mine came into view—several wooden buildings situated just outside the excavation zone.
Leo once again raised his fist, halting everyone.
Over the comms, he reported, “Alpha team in position.”
A moment later, Mitch’s voice came through from the opposite flank. “Beta team also in position.”
“Snipers?”
“Snipers ready. Awaiting orders.”
Leo scanned the buildings again using his tactical goggles to verify what lay inside.
“Attention: the two outer buildings contain sleeping enemies. The central shack, however, houses the laborers. Be careful—no collateral.”
“Copy.”
“Snipers—target the sentries on the rooftops. Fire on my command. Everyone else—once the snipers take their shots, move in immediately and clear the buildings. No survivors.”
“Activate combat assist enhancers.”
“Snipers—fire.”
The rooftop sentries suddenly toppled over, slumping like drunks—dead before hitting the ground.
Leo waved his arm forward. Both assault teams surged into the outer buildings with precision and speed.
Muffled flashes and silenced shots lit up the dark.
Minutes later, Leo and his team emerged from the buildings and regrouped in the open clearing.
After confirming there were no survivors, Leo led the group toward the central shack.
Though all their weapons had suppressors installed— Silencers didn’t make sound vanish entirely.
And the dying screams of the anti-government militiamen could not be silenced either.
As a result, the laborers in the central shanty awoke to the noise, frightened by the cries, trembling where they hid within the thin walls of the shelter.
Fortunately, Leo had already considered this scenario in advance.
He immediately ordered his men to enter the militiamen’s housing to retrieve food and water, then distribute it among the laborers.
These laborers were usually fed poorly—what they received was not even on the same level as what the militia ate.
Though it was the middle of the night, hunger had long since gnawed at them.
When Leo’s people arrived carrying supplies, the laborers’ eyes lit up at once.
But no one dared to move.
Past experiences, reinforced by bitter lessons, had taught them that to reach for food or water uninvited usually resulted in a beating at best—
—and at worst, in death.
So they remained still.
Leo could see their fear clearly.
He had his men lay the food and water down on a blanket, then ordered them to withdraw twenty to thirty meters, before addressing the laborers in Spanish, telling them to eat freely and not to worry.
The laborers did not trust Leo or his people. But as time passed, the gnawing pain of hunger slowly eroded that mistrust.
Eventually, one man could no longer resist. He crawled forward, grabbed some of the food on the blanket, and began devouring it in large bites.
He didn’t know if he’d be killed for this. It was entirely possible he’d be executed on the spot—or beaten within an inch of his life.
But he no longer cared.
Since being brought here, he had never once eaten his fill.
Those who have never starved cannot truly understand what it feels like.
To put it plainly, if one had to choose a way to die—beheading or a firing squad might be considered merciful.
But to be starved to death slowly—that was true cruelty.
